Re: 04 CTS-V missing shifter pivot ball holder/housing

you never noticed how bad the shifting was getting? those other pics look correct for what you need. The only way you may get just that part is at a salvage yard. probably is your best bet. otherwise a whole new shifter.

Re: 04 CTS-V missing shifter pivot ball holder/housing

No grinding of the gears and the shifting wasn't bad...relatively speaking. I've driven it on 800 mile trips and went through the gears with no probs.

I have sent a message to PISNUOFF on this forum and to his hotmail account...just waiting for a response.

Without that housing holding the pivot ball, what keeps the shifter from dropping down...or even out of the console?

If I have to go that route, do you know where I can buy the entire shifter assembly?

NOTE: Further details on work that was done at shop...dropped engine and tranny to rebuild engine, replace 1-2 blocker rings in tranny, replaced clutch with Monster Level 2 kit. When the shop put everything back together, that's when they noticed the pivot ball housing missing.

Re: 04 CTS-V missing shifter pivot ball holder/housing

That's what I would have thought, but I'm not sure about how the shifter assembly is held in place.

Look at these two pictures...the first one shows the pivot housing around the white nylon bushing...but as you look at the second picture...what holds everything in place?

I understand the white nylon busing snaps in place around the shift lever pivot point/ball, but what keeps the entire shift lever from dropping down? I know the metal pivot housing keeps you from pulling the shifter up, but what keeps it in place and from dropping down?

Any help is appreciated...trying to understand a little more about my V.

Re: 04 CTS-V missing shifter pivot ball holder/housing

I'm not exactly sure what is going on with your shifter. But if I remember correctly, the metal cap that goes over the white nylon pivot bushing thing, is riveted on at the factory. Since yours has bolts holding it on, it has clearly been pulled and put back in.

When you buy a modified shifter from Pissnuoff, you have to drill out the rivet and use bolts to hold the replacement in place. It is possible that what you are dealing with is a DIY job or a messed up install of another aftermarket shifter.

If I remember correctly, the white nylon pivot bushing is too big to fall down through the opening. And the metal cap thing keeps it from moving up.

Re: 04 CTS-V missing shifter pivot ball holder/housing

More to the story...after talking further with the shop manager. He took the car for a 'shake-down' drive and after about 20-25 miles he brought the car back to the shop and noticed how bad the shifter was...they put the car on the lift and inspected the shifter and that's when they noticed the nylon bushing missing around the pivot ball on the shift lever.

The manager says the mechanic who put the transmission back in definitely remembers seeing the nylon bushing there when he put everything back together...but that it must have fallen out on the drive.

I don't want to say the shop is being shady on this, but something is definitely not right.

Since I couldn't find just the nylon bushing to replace, I contacted Luke at Lindsay Cadillac and he hooked me up with a new shift assembly...and I bought the UUC shifter...thought I might as well as upgrade since it was all apart.

What do you think about the nylon bushing falling out and the shop's story of what happened? They are familiar with F-Body cars, but I believe this is their first time working on a V shifter...are they that much different from the Camaros and Firebirds?

Re: 04 CTS-V missing shifter pivot ball holder/housing

I had a shop knock out a freeze plug and tell me it was spontaneous during the test drive.

yeahhh I laughed and convinced them to repair it free of charge.

(bonus: the coolant was still gushing out when I arrived in response to the notification phone call. They didn't know I was at the pizza shop on the other side of the same building. 95 Mustang GT. a day later, I stopped on my way past the shop, after eating at the same pizza place. I noticed a concerned looking customer, who was visibly dazed. They had removed his ECU and pointed to a clear burn mark that looked like it came from a soldering iron being touched to the circuit, and he was about to shell out some serious $$ for the repair. Purrfect Auto on Craig, Las Vegas)

Re: 04 CTS-V missing shifter pivot ball holder/housing

They are completely different than F-body shifter assemblies. There is absolutely no way it could have fallen out. They couldn't have put the assembly on the bottom (outside the console) because it would hit the driveshaft. My feeling is that your shop should be paying for the new shifter assembly.

Re: 04 CTS-V missing shifter pivot ball holder/housing

I think the realistic, likely outcome is pay for an upgrade, have them install it, then move on

and never go back to the shop

honesty and consistency are a premium, when shops can break your car to create more business for themselves. if they didn't jump on the grenade and offer a solution, due to pride or anything(there's no excuse), it's a failure on their part to recognize the importance of honesty and consistency. so aside from the specifics of the parts, I don't like the way they handled the issue.

I'm sorry to say this, but it needs to be said: a 20 to 25-mile test drive? c'mon man around the corner is plenty for two shifts. the **** is wrong with them.

"they said it never happens, it's so weird" should never be the customer's experience. ever. I don't trust anyone who would try to give me that story.

in fact, ...**** it, I don't trust anyone.

Out of personal interest I chose to be trained as a mechanic (diesels/heavy equipment) and then as a medic by the military, and I count it as a huge benefit that I can do my own car work, and seek out my own medical treatment/self-medicate somewhat more efficiently than the average person. (think: basic, general ASE certs and now a registered EMT) ...[with those under my belt i'm ready to go to college]

I'm less liable to get "took." so ANYWAY my advice with this shop is run, dude RUUUNNNN!!!!!!!

...when that shop knocked my freeze plug in/out, I called my whole platoon (all mechanics as well) and we had a talk that way with the shop manager. it was great.

if you're wondering what I had my Mustang in the shop for, it was to install 3.73s which I've never done--and sometimes I would rather just pay someone else for work if the price is worth it.